10 Things You Need To Know About The 2014 Ford Fiesta

The domestic small car renaissance continues with the 2014 Ford Fiesta. The 2014 Ford Fiesta offers several improvements compared to the model that preceded it, and its styling, drivetrain, and features have all been updated to help make it a stronger contender in the subcompact segment. The Ford Fiesta has also been tagged to become more efficient than ever before, which would be an impressive achievement for what is already a very economical car to purchase and operate.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2014 Ford Fiesta.

01. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Has Been Refreshed

The 2014 Ford Fiesta has been brought even further into the Ford styling fold with this latest refresh. The changes to the Ford Fiesta for the current model year are most noticeable from the front, where its grille has been updated to present the now-familiar, open-maw design that graces many other Ford products. In addition, the Fiesta gains sportier air intakes at the bottom of the bumper, new color options, and a different hood, with the latter helping to beef up the subcompact's personality on what is otherwise a very sleek-looking design. Inside, the Fiesta's passenger compartment has been modernized in order to introduce nicer plastics and softer surfaces throughout, and a number of small tweaks to its standard equipment list (arm rests, center console) have helped to push the interior higher up the ladder in terms of sophistication.

02. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Can Be Had In Two Body Styles

The 2014 Ford Fiesta maintains its strategy of offering subcompact shoppers the choice between either a hatchback or a sedan body style. Both versions of this car can seat as many as five passengers, although four is a much more comfortable proposition. The sedan is aimed primarily at those who like the traditional profile of a small four-door automobile, while the hatchback is targeted towards buyers who require the additional practicality provided by the larger cargo area found in this design. The hatchback comes with 14.9 cubic feet of space between the rear seatback and the inside of the liftgate - 1.1 cubic foot improvement over the trunk space found in the sedan - but folding down the back seats adds substantially more room for oversized items.

03. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Provides Two Engine Options

The 2014 Ford Fiesta comes standard with a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine that has been tuned to provide 120 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque. While these are respectable figures for a subcompact car - especially when compared against options like the FIAT 500 and the Mazda Mazda3 - the Ford Fiesta offers buyers the chance to step up to a brand new, 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder mill. Although three cylinders might seem like a 'downgrade' when compared against the base four-cylinder unit, the 1.0-liter motor makes use of a turbocharger to produce 123 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. The latter figure represents a substantial improvement over the base engine.

04. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Makes A Pair Of Transmissions Available

Initially, the 2014 Ford Fiesta will present drivers with a five-speed manual as its primary transmission option. The five-speed manual will be available for both the four-cylinder and turbocharged three-cylinder drivetrains. For those interested in sampling a more exotic gearbox, the Fiesta's larger motor will be offered with a six-speed automated manual unit. Called the 'PowerShift,' this tranny provides the ability to shift gears more efficiently than a traditional automatic would, and matches the design that is currently found in the Ford Focus. Ford expects that the best performance, however, will be found when sticking to the five-speed manual.

05. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Delivers Excellent Fuel Mileage

It's only natural to assume that with such small engines on offer, and with such a lightweight platform to have to motivate, that the 2014 Ford Fiesta would provide buyers with sparkling fuel efficiency. This is a reasonable assumption, as even the entry-level 1.6-liter motor shines with a fuel mileage rating of 30-mpg in stop and go driving and 40-mpg on the highway when matched with the six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission and the SFE package (20-mpg city, 38-mpg highway with the five-speed manual). Official EPA figures for the 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost motor have yet to be released, but Ford claims that it should outperform the larger motor in each respective measure and check in as the most efficient gas-powered car on the American market.

06. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Offers Three Trim Levels

The 2014 Ford Fiesta S represents the entry-level model for both the sedan and the hatchback, and it offers features such as air conditioning, the Ford SYNC interface, manual adjustments for the driver and passenger seat, 15-inch steel wheels, manual windows, and an MP3-capable CD player. Upgrading to the SE trim level adds niceties such as power windows, 15-inch alloy rims, power mirrors, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the MyKey vehicle control and tracking system. The top-tier Fiesta Titanium installs leather seats (heated up front), automatic climate control, 16-inch wheels, keyless entry, nicer exterior trim (as well as more upscale interior trappings), a push button start system, satellite radio, HD radio, and a trip computer.

07. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Can Be Ordered With Only One Options Package

The 2014 Ford Fiesta is available with a number of accessories designed to help better manage cargo or add extra functionality to the subcompact, but it only makes a single options package available at ordering time. The Ford Fiesta SE can be had with the SE Appearance Package (also known as Equipment Group 201A), which adds the MyFord Touch 6.5-inch LCD touchscreen, 16-inch rims with a matching spare, satellite radio, a spoiler on the sedan's trunk, sportier-looking seats, a leather-wrapped shift knob, and fog lamps up front. Many of these features are standard on the Titanium trim level.

08. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Debuts The ST Performance Trim

The most exciting version of the 2014 Ford Fiesta is the Ford Fiesta ST, an all-new high performance edition of the subcompact car that is available exclusively with the hatchback body style. Designed in the mold of the European hot hatches that Ford has been building for decades, the Ford Fiesta ST joins its larger Focus ST sibling in offering turbocharged power and a tuned suspension system to the American masses. Under the hood, the Fiesta ST boasts a 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that uses its turbocharger to push out 197 horsepower and up to 214 lb-ft of torque via an overboost function. A six-speed manual transmission sends this output to the vehicle's front wheels, and the ST's lowered stance and aggressive body work make it one of the best-looking hatchbacks to have ever worn the Blue Oval badge.

09. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Is A Safe Subcompact

In addition to its strong body shell and crash structure, the 2014 Ford Fiesta offers a complete suite of safety equipment. All versions of the Fiesta are outfitted with dual forward airbags, side-impact airbags, and side curtain airbags that deploy along the entire length of the passenger compartment. The driver also benefits from a knee airbag. AdvanceTrac electronic stability and traction control is standard equipment - as is a hill-start assistance feature - and the Fiesta additionally comes with anti-lock brakes and a tire pressure monitoring system.

10. The 2014 Ford Fiesta Provides Affordable Pricing

The 2014 Ford Fiesta is intended to compete hard on price, with the least expensive version of the sedan starting at an MSRP of $14,000. The Ford Fiesta hatchback is slightly more expensive (MSRP $14,600). Those interested in the high performance Ford Fiesta ST will be able to slip behind the wheel for right around $22,000. In addition to providing a good amount of standard equipment for its price, the Fiesta also undercuts rivals like the Chevrolet Sonic and the Hyundai Accent when it comes to value. The Fiesta ST is the ultimate performance hatchback in its class, with its closest analog - the Fiat 500 Abarth - offering less power from a smaller engine for roughly the same money.